If you play on one of the new time locked servers, which class will be your main?

I don't like soloing, and I'm looking forward to grouping on Aradune, as either a Cleric, Magician, or Druid. I'm finding it tough to decide, though.

the furthest i have ever taken a bard is 30 i think. i've played every class to 50 atleast, so this time i think im going to go with a bard.

Go Cleric or Shaman, you will always be wanted. Res is nice though early on!

Druids make decent Plat overtime Porting

Out of those 3 Cleric or Mage, Clerics are hands down the best healers for a long long time in EQ. And Mages are one of the more consistent low effort DPS classes for a long time.

Druids are very good at soloing but mediocre in groups so best to avoid if you would rather group than solo.

It all depends what you want. If I want a healer I like the versatility of the druid and the challenge it takes to heal well. I have rolled countless of druids back in the day and on all the TLP servers and been main healer all the time with good success.

But a cleric is far more easier and powerful in the healing department, does not have that Druid stigma, but for me personally more boring and single sided to play. With the druid there is no room for Netflix while you are grouping, and I love that excitement.

And that is the greatest tip I can give, don't look at what people want, what is popular or not popular, only go for what you think will suit you best. The best at this or that will only go so far, if you end up not really like playing the class.

An important factor is also whether you plan to raid or not. Group gameplay is not raid gameplay, I played all classes in TLP, some I love in group, some I hate to play in raid.

While groups made up of odds and sods are great fun, there are those that will not do anything without the 'optimal group' which certain building blocks.

1. someone to tank/pull
2. someone to heal, slow, snare
3. someone for CC/charm, mana regen, slow, snare
4. dps/utility
5. dps/utility
6. dps/utility

If you can cover anything in the first 3 slots, then you'll get picked up for groups frequently.

Slot 1 in classic are any of the usual plate tanks, and depending on gear, rangers, monks and possibly enchanter charm (if you like living dangerously)

Slot 2 is generally cleric > shamen >>>>> druid (who are usually main healer only in a pinch, but invariably end up competing with the slot 4/5/6 people.

Slot 3 Chanters and bards

obviously depending on who you have will depend on who pulls, who slows etc.
Based on the above classes that an do anything in slots 1, 2, 3 will get groups frequently. Classes like BST will often pull a 'preferred' slot 4/5/6 spot covering off slows if there's no chanter or shamen in the group.

Every other class is really deemed non-essential and is just DPS, so you have to compete with everyone else in that category.

Saying that, don't let that put you off if you decide to play a rogue or something. If you're willing to put groups together, you can often be up and running in 20 minutes. If you prefer to sit lfg, then be prepared for a long wait.

I'm worry that boxing will make getting groups more difficult for a cleric.

Thats why im going Enchanter Cleric my self

That worry is unwarranted. As a cleric you won't have any issues finding a group. Even if there is plenty of boxing ongoing. On Aradune there should be even less of those I think.

This is a chart of all non-anon players over the course of a day during the second week of Mangler launch.

Note: This is not a good representation of what the server looked like after a month. Caster classes tend to be the first main, leveled up with cloth in 3 slots and a lot of wishful thinking. Tanks tend to be the first wave of heavily twinked alts.

I want to main a bard but I don't want to start as a bard. I'll probably start as a necro/druid combo so my druid can PL my bard after getting 30/40+ and I can farm anything I want to and level on my own if needed.

I suspect that chart has an awful lot of boxes. The tell-tale sign is the high number of druids, which people rarely main, but tend to have hanging around as a PL/Port alt.

I suspect a high proportion of bards also fall into that category.
Clerics/chanters/mages/necros... yeah that looks about right.

I ll go shaman and necro, since i m bored with ench/cleric combo

Exactly. They do exist, but main druids are rare few months into the TLP server.
I wonder what Aradune will do with regards to buff/rez bots. Is always handy to have someone around with a 60 cleric nearby or KEI deeper into expansions

I'm really starting to cool on playing a Druid. It's just the allure of having sow almost immediately after the server opens that's very tempting to me.

Can't go wrong with a bard if it's run speed you're after

This feels right to me.

I'm going cle/enc at the start for all the obvious reasons, but wouldn't mind also going dru+mag or something to start with just to have a druid that can chloro/DS whatever I roll next. After that I could see myself doing sha/mnk or sha/sk.

It's interesting that warrior is higher than SK for the second week. What's the value of a warrior over an SK in classic?

But both classes have damage shields? I think Druid and Monk would be an intriguing combo.

I’m gonna be on Rizlona and my Druid will probably be my “main” considering gear priority, but I’ll be 3 boxing Enc/Dru/Clr and the character I’ll be mostly looking at will be Enc

When Kunark comes out tho, I’m gonna make Iksar Mnk/Shm and I think Shm will be my main. I just enjoy the concept of their class, their utility and their DoTs, however mana inefficient

I'm pretty sure he is doing it so he can DS with either account.